Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

I have a Simplicity Sunstar and a rolling lawn. The Sunstar is HEAVY & the rear tires wide for flotation on a nice lawn. I want to climb the hills on my rolling lawn & with any moisture in the grass all I get is wheel spin unless I engage the differerntial lock. My question, has anyone had any expierence with BOTH tire chains on turf tires & Ag tires on a lawn? I'm looking for traction, I expect damage with wheel spin but some have said I'll get damage from just tight turns.. Anyone have any input/THANKS!!!!!

Re: Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

Morning F100Panel.
If you lawn steep like mine,and once you lose traction and kinda get that strange feeling as you grab on tight to the steering wheel,I know what your talking about.

My Cub Cadet 20hp almost useless w/turf tires going up slopes when the grass is wet,but kubota w/turf tires and chains not a problem,I just have to make a wider turn not to tear up the lawn...plus its great to pack those tunnels the moles make.

Re: Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

Originally Posted by F100Panel

I have a Simplicity Sunstar and a rolling lawn. The Sunstar is HEAVY & the rear tires wide for flotation on a nice lawn. I want to climb the hills on my rolling lawn & with any moisture in the grass all I get is wheel spin unless I engage the differerntial lock. My question, has anyone had any expierence with BOTH tire chains on turf tires & Ag tires on a lawn? I'm looking for traction, I expect damage with wheel spin but some have said I'll get damage from just tight turns.. Anyone have any input/THANKS!!!!!

66 Bolens 850 turf tires and chains no lawn damage very good traction especially with a filled 12'' concrete block on a tray on the back.

New CC GT 2554 Ag tires without chains, no lawn damage traction good so far, but haven't had a chance to really try it out.

Re: Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

This all depends on what kind of soil you have.

At my house here, the land is relatively flat and it's a mushy clay that doesn't hold up to much weight. I have a Ford 8N with ag tires that tears up my yard pretty bad when the ground is wet. I can drive my New Holland with R-4 tires over the same area, and it will barely leave a mark, unless it's been raining for weeks.

I have another chunk of land that I can drive over with ag tires any time with no problems at all, which is good because I need all the traction I can get there!

Re: Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

I used to have the same tractor, and even though you have the
diff lock, don't you still have the 23" tires?
Anyway, I used mine with chains year round, and had some very
steep areas I'd climb, straight up. I never minded the chains on the
rest of the lawn, wasn't really an issue, and if you turn tight or
try to accelerate too quickly you can tear up some turf, but you
learn quickly how not to do that.
I've never used Ag tires on a tractor, but from my experience selling
L&G tractors, I rarely see good results with the bar tires and chains,
due to the chains just slipping between the cleats and really doing no
good there. I think chains work best on turf tires,,, where they actually
have some bite in the turf.
(and i'd still put that combo up against these new HDAP tires also)

Once I got my Deere 445,, with it's 26" tires,, what a difference
in traction! I still use the chains, as I'm in a new house with even steeper
areas, but rarely need the diff lock unless I'm working in dirt with the front
blade or in snow conditions. (snow? what's that???)

Re: Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

My father has successfully used chains for two or three years on an old Gravely tractor he has had for years. My parents live in another section of the mountains and their lawn is quite steep. The Gravely due to its being made of lead and rear mounted engine, gets about the best traction of any two wheel drive small garden tractor I have ever seen, and with chains, it is unstoppable. In my opinion if you want the ultimate traction go with chains. They will not tear up the lawn and generally can be removed/added with some elbow grease. I suppose the only downside is limiting pavement time, as they will really scuff pavement when in direct contact. The better traction one gets, the less lawn damage they will have anyway in my mind. What we did for my father is get him an extra set of 23" tires and had the chains permanently mounted to that set. Now he simply unbolts and rebolts the wheel combo he wants which is easier for him the constantly changing out chains. These wheels being so small are easy to do. I bought my dad a 757 John Deere last year, which he likes, but he still likes the Gravely on the steep stuff and uses it for pulling carts etc.

Re: Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

[quote=jcmseven]
1*My father has successfully used chains for two or three years on an old Gravely tractor he has had for years.
2*ChainsThey will not tear up the lawn and generally can be removed/added with some elbow grease.
3*I suppose the only downside is limiting pavement time, as they will really scuff pavement when in direct contact.
4*What we did for my father is get him an extra set of 23" tires and had the chains permanently mounted to that set.
5* Now he simply unbolts and rebolts the wheel combo he wants which is easier for him than constantly changing out chains.
6*These wheels being so small are easy to do.
John M[/quote]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1*I've had Chains on my 1966 Bolens for 35 years or so.
I've never taken them off since then.
2* Since they don't hurt the yard I just leave them on.
3* This only happens if/when spinning the wheels.
I've found it to be an infrequent minor annoyance rather than a major frequent problem.
4*In June of 2005 I bought a 1967 Bolens just like my 1966 Bolens
5*Instead of changing wheels I can simply switch tractors.
6*But not as easy as just switching tractors.
I also have a new CC GT2554 garden tractor with ag tires which adds to my options list too.

Re: Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

A fellow proved to me a few months back with many photos that using AG tires both front and rear on a typical garden tractor (A Cub Cadet 1200 was the specimen) will not ruin you lawn at all, and in fact are gentler on it with the smaller contact patches than turf tires are. Yet they in turn can dig in to loose soil and snow when needed for traction.

My only reserve about leaving chains on turf tires year round would be the chains stretching, wearing out and getting rusty rendering their intent for snow traction useless- JMHO, no actual experience in that scenario.

Re: Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

Originally Posted by Fordlords

1*A fellow proved to me a few months back with many photos that using AG tires both front and rear on a typical garden tractor (A Cub Cadet 1200 was the specimen) will not ruin you lawn at all, and in fact are gentler on it with the smaller contact patches than turf tires are. Yet they in turn can dig in to loose soil and snow when needed for traction.

2*My only reserve about leaving chains on turf tires year round would be the chains stretching, wearing out and getting rusty rendering their intent for snow traction useless- JMHO, no actual experience in that scenario.

-Fordlords-

1*I had ag tires on all 4 corners of my wards PowerCraft L/T.
Liked them & plan on replacing the front turfs on my CC 2554 with AGs.

2*Never had streaching or rust problems.Always worked fine on snow and ice.
I am on the 3rd set in 35 or so years which works out to an average of about 12 years per set which ain't bad for full time use.

I have never bought a set of tractor chains.
I Made all 3 sets out of old car chains .

Re: Ag Tires Versus Chains Versus Lawn Damage

had a john deere 430 garden tractor with fluid filled ag tires. lived on a hill and couldn't cut the grass when it was just barely wet, with the turf tires. put the ag's on and fluid filled them. was able to go up and down the hill no problem. just don't let the tires spin. if they do you will have a big spot with no grass.